DOCdata UK

DOCdata UK was an optical disc manufacturer established when DOCdata N.V. (DOCdata) acquired the business and related assets of [url=/label/176253]Mayking Multimedia Ltd.[/url] and [url=/label/788771]Mayking Cassettes Ltd.[/url] of Battersea, London, both in administration, in August 1997.

The production facilities at 250 York Road, Battersea, London SW11 3SJ were used until July 10, 2000. By then DOCdata N.V. had also acquired Ablex Ltd. and restructured their UK manufacturing business, relocating to the former Ablex facilities in Telford, Shropshire. The London sales and customer service departments were relocated within London. Around this time, the company was occasionally branded DOCdata Ablex. 40% of the production capacity was transferred to DOCdata France in Langres, France.

The CD and DVD replication and audio cassette manufacturing business was sold to broker Sound Performance on January 30th 2009.

Full legal name DOCdata (UK) Ltd. (01/08/1997 to 29/02/2008), later DOCdata Media Ltd. (see www.docdatamedia.co.uk).

Identification:
DOCdata UK can be identified by its name or logo in the matrix, or where 'DOCdata'/'DOCDATA' alone is named in the disc matrix in combination with the SID codes listed below. From around 2004 onward, the plant was instead identified in the matrix by its URL www.docdata.co.uk.

Sometimes, DOCdata UK may not be named in the matrix at all. In such cases, it may be possible to credits this profile based on the SID codes listed below, but only when it is certain that the disc was manufactured during DOCdata UK's period of activity (1997-2009), as these same SID codes were used by predecessor and successor owners of the manufacturing equipment.

Mastering SID codes: IFPI LA31 (acquired from Mayking in 1997), LP76
Mould SID codes: IFPI 4B** (acquired from Mayking in 1997), 73** (acquired from Ablex in 2000)

Matrix numbers:
DOCdata UK continued Ablex's 5-digit matrix numbering scheme (9#####) for a short time after acquiring its Telford manufacturing plant. The earliest known matrix number appearing with the text 'DOCDATA' is 92924 (4874982). Therefore, any disc with a matrix number higher than 92924 in combination with IFPI 73** can be identified and credited to DOCdata UK. (Matrix numbers below 92924 should be credited to Ablex as outlined on its profile, unless DOCdata is specifically named in the matrix.)

Labels/Brokers:
With mastering SID code IFPI LP76, the matrix often follows a generic pattern 'DOCdata UK [catalogue#]', 'www.docdata.co.uk [catalogue#]', or 'XXX [catalogue#]'. where XXX is a 3-letter acronym identifying the releasing label/record company or broker manufacturer. For example, disc matrix 'EAR [catalogue#]' is common on discs manufactured for metal label Earache.

The following broker companies can be credited with a Manufactured By LCCN entry when identified by these acronyms in the matrix:
CSV = Clear Sound And Vision
FAI = ???
HIL = Hiltongrove Multimedia
IMP = Impress
KEY = Key Production
MBS = Musicbase (2)
SP = Sound Performance
SRT = SRT Productions Ltd.
TRI = Tribal Manufacturing

LCCN roles:
Glass Mastered At - when IFPI LA31 or LP76 is present
Pressed By - when IFPI 4B** or 73** is present
Glass Mastered At and Pressed By when above Mould & Mastering SID codes present

Note: the mastering SID code LA31 is printed in a square, mirrored font and can easily be misread as IFPI LR31, LRE1, LAE1, etc.